Nov 23, 2009

SGV Tribune loses a reporter

Tania Chatila, who worked her way up the ranks to become a reporter and a sometimes editor at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, posted a note yesterday to let readers know that she has left the paper for a communications job at USC.

From her Leftovers at City Hall blog:
I've been working in professional newspapers since I was 19, but I have to say no newsroom has been quite like this one. Working in the San Gabriel Valley gave me a crash course in real crime, real politics and real people.

And now it's really time to go. This isn't to say I won't ever return to journalism (readers out there are either smiling or cringing at that thought) -- journalism and writing has always been my passion.

It's the art of storytelling that compels me. But for now, the transition is right for me and my future.

Her departure strikes me as a scary reminder that even good journalists are searching for a way station where they can wait out a storm that might never pass. It's also more evidence of the broken-ladder theory of journalism, one that should worry larger papers that hope to maintain their standards.

Coincidentally, the woman with whom Tania started the Leftovers from City Hall blog, Jennifer McLain, left the Tribune earlier this year and is now a student at USC.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In an unrelated comment to this issue...does singleton really believe that attempts to block google from their content really has google shuddering in a dark corner? and, that pay walls will prevent them from getting their oh so rich content...come on. singletons efforts to charge will fail. name one item that has worked well in online for this group across all his newspapers. i wonder what the odds will be on a google/newspaper race to win?

Anonymous said...

All good reporters find a way to go, sooner than later..
Judy Chu also took another great reporter not so long ago. The sgvn papers are spiraling downward and will not stop until either they hit the ground hard or looser leaders finally realize they have to leave so the papers survive.

Anonymous said...

The Trib is a weaker paper without her and Jen. I'll miss them.

Anonymous said...

how can it be weaker, have you looked at the quality and quantity of that newspaper?